Wellness Center - Health Alerts

Nylabone Warning

One of the most trusted names in dog chews is Nylabone. For 40 years they've made some of the most popular dog chews.

But there is growing evidence that some of their product lines - like one made from a gummy material - could be harmful, even fatal, to your dog.

At the Renton veterinary hospital, Gail Scott, Manager, has declared some chew toys off-limits. "I gave this one to my own dog," she said, holding up a Nylabone plaque attacker. "He had broken the whole end off and it was going down this throat. But I retrieved it quickly and of course took it away from him," "Had it been swallowed, probably within days, this could have been lodged somewhere in the intestinal tract and probably had to be retrieved surgically."

But even surgery couldn't save Timber. It was only after the champion Alaskan malamute died in Virginia that a vet discovered a chunk of plaque attacker lodged in his stomach.

In Texas, the same fate was in store for Rambo, a little poodle. The vet retrieved two pieces of what appeared to be Nylabone products, after Rambo's agonizing death. "What really got me is when the vet told me he screamed, and then died," said Harvey Hannah, Rambo's owner. Virginia attorney Debra Corcoran said she's uncovered more than a hundred cases where dogs may have been injured or killed after swallowing Nylabone products.

Rambo's x-ray highlights another problem. Nylabones don't show up on X-rays, so vets, like Rambo's can't tell what's making the dog sick.

"When it hung up - the intestine keeps moving - so it kind of knotted up like an accordion," the vet said.

She blames the company's line of flexible chew toys. They're marketed under names like Gumma-Bone and Plaque Attacker.

Some vets say they're made of an indigestible material, and plaque attacker has a knobby surface that can lodge in the digestive tract.

The KING 5 Investigators have obtained a half dozen letters Nylabone sent to customers whose dogs were injured. The company calls the cases "...most unusual..." or an "...isolated incident..." In a letter to KING 5, Nylabone said "...the Plaque Attacker (registered trademark) is safe ... however, all polymer dog chews, regardless of manufacturer, can present problems when they are inappropriate in size or have become old and worn."

Attorney Debra Corcoran is now preparing a class-action lawsuit, but some people who've lost their pets want quicker action from Nylabone, whose products can be found in pet shops just about anywhere.

"Take it off the market - or at least change your packaging and put on warning labels," asked Harvey Hannah, Rambo's owner.

The information provided at this site has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription for any disease. Please consult your veterinarian for advice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.